Tehran, August 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Friday said diplomacy with the United States could be revived if Washington recognises that applying pressure on Tehran will not work.
Araghchi made the remarks in a post on X while referring to his meeting a day earlier with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani in Tehran. He said the two sides held “creative discussions” during the meeting.
“Putting diplomacy back on track isn’t impossible. It hinges on US understanding of one simple fact: pressure doesn’t work,” Araghchi said.
He called on Washington to build trust, engage with Iran respectfully, recognise its rights and honour its commitments toward Tehran.
The remarks come amid uncertainty over the future of US-Iran negotiations following a recent escalation between the two countries.
On June 18, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding on ending the war in the region, under which the two sides were expected to begin negotiations within 60 days, with the deadline falling on August 17. However, the status of those negotiations remains unclear following the escalation last month.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump announced what he described as “the most crushing economic operation ever taken” against any country providing a lifeline to Iran. He termed the planned measures “Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale” and called them an “economic D-Day”.
Iran has meanwhile continued to warn against hostile actions by Washington. A senior Iranian security official on Thursday said Tehran would respond harshly against any “malicious” US action by targeting American military and economic interests in West Asia.
Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, made the remarks during his meeting with the Qatari prime minister in Tehran, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
Rezaei stressed Iran’s distrust of Washington and accused the US of repeatedly undermining diplomacy and negotiations. He also said Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz only after Washington took practical steps to meet Tehran’s conditions.
The Qatari prime minister reaffirmed Doha’s commitment to cooperating with Iran, citing the country’s regional responsibilities.
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